Review: Octopus Moon

 

For Pearl, things start to change when fifth grade begins. She's not has happy as she used to be. She's not as fun either. Things start to feel really hard - even getting out of bed in the morning. She pretends that everything is fine. But after her parents come back from a parent-teacher conference, they're forced to realize that everything is NOT fine. They take Pearl to a psychologist.

Dr. Jill helps Pearl understand that depression is a disease, an illness. She teaches Pearl coping skills. Pearl starts making progress and starts letting her friends back into her world. Every day isn't a good day and things are still hard, but she's making progress.

My Thoughts: This novel in verse is a powerful read. I love how Pearl did the work to understand depression. She had good days/moments and bad days/moments. Not everyone understanded what she's going through. At first, she had a hard time explaining it, but she found the words. I loved how depression wove itself into the book - how her Grandfather had bad days too. I loved it how in the beginning of the book, they didn't really talk about it, but by the end of the novel, the family recognized that he had depression too.  I loved the environmental moments of the book and how Pearl learned facts about sea creatures. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendations: A must have book for your school or public library's collection.

Middle Grade Book Review: Something Like Home

 

Lauren goes to live with her aunt after her parents are required to enter rehab. They can't stop using drugs and neglecting Lauren. Lauren called the police and feels responsible for their time in rehab.

Lauren's aunt isn't the most welcoming. She just wants to go home, but that's not an option. Moving to her aunts means moving to a new school. It's not easy being the new girl in school. How is Lauren supposed to make friends when she's going to be back with her parents before too long?

When she finds a puppy who needs recusing, Lauren comes up with a plan. If she can train Sparrow to become a therapy dog, they can visit her parents. She misses them more than she can say. 

My Thoughts: A wonderful heart wrenching story about Lauren's family life. She feels heartbroken that she's responsible for splitting up her family. I love how she became a family with Sparrow. She trained him. Even though she rescues him, they saved each other. Because of Sparrow, Lauren makes a friend. Together, they train Sparrow to become a therapy dog. I wanted to wrap Lauren up in a hug. For me, the ending, was a little too good to be true, but it did wrap everything up nicely. 

Cover Thoughts: Adorable

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A great novel in verse for middle graders. 

* Nothing bad happens to the dog after it's rescued. 

Middle Grade Book: Louder Than Hunger

Of course, as soon as I heard about this book, I wanted to read it.

First because of the author: John Schu.

Second: Novel in Verse

Third: Anorexia from a male perspective

@yabooknerdlibrarian Louder than Hunger is a must read book - its about struggles. It made me cry 😭 but it was so so good! @Candlewick Press #booktok #poetry #poetrytok #novelsinverse ♬ original sound - Jennifer @YA Book Nerd 📚📚📚

                                                           Happy National Poetry Month! 

Blog Tour: The Name She Gave Me

 

Welcome to The Name She Gave Me Blog Tour!

Writing in Verse
by Betty Culley

Why write in verse?

Why read verse?

Because

it makes you choose

your words

carefully.

It helps you distill

emotions

thoughts

dialogue

into just what’s needed

to tell the story.

It leaves space

on the page—

white space

for your eyes

to rest,

your mind

to work,

and your heart

to grow.

 

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Buy | Add on Goodreads

On Shelves Now!

"Wistful verse highlights small but telling moments throughout Rynn’s search...The author’s lived history with foster care and adoption gives the narrative nuance and authority. Emotionally complex and empathetic characters...and a faithfully depicted rural landscape form an exemplary backdrop for this contemplative novel."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Compassionate and compelling."
—Kirkus 

A heartbreakingly beautiful novel in verse about adoption, family, friendship, and love in all its many forms, perfect for fans of Robin Benway and Jandy Nelson, from the acclaimed author of Three Things I Know Are True.

Rynn was born with a hole in her heart—literally. Although it was fixed long ago, she still feels an emptiness there when she wonders about her birth family.

As her relationship with her adoptive mother fractures, Rynn finally decides she needs to know more about the rest of her family. Her search starts with a name, the only thing she has from her birth mother, and she quickly learns that she has a younger sister living in foster care in a nearby town. But if Rynn reconnects with her biological sister, it may drive her adoptive family apart for good.

This powerful story uncovers both beautiful and heartbreaking truths and explores how challenging, yet healing, family can be.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Betty Culley's debut novel in verse Three Things I Know Are True, was a Kids' Indie Next List Top Ten Pick, an ALA-YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Nominee, and the 2021 Maine Literary Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature. Her first middle-grade novel Down to Earth was inspired by her fascination with meteorites, voyagers from another place and time. She's an RN who worked as an obstetrics nurse and as a pediatric home hospice nurse. She lives in central Maine, where the rivers run through the small towns.

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Blog Tour Schedule:

June 27th — Feed Your Fiction Addiction 
June 28th — BookHounds
June 29th — YA Book Nerd
June 30th — A Dream Within a Dream
July 1st — Utopia State of Mind

Review: Alone

Maddie hatches a brilliant plan to have a secret slumber party with her two best friends. She tells her mom that she's staying with her Dad and vice versa.  It's the perfect set up - until both of her friends back out. 

But everything changes in the middle of the night. There's an evacuation. But Maddie's phone battery is dead. The news doesn't reach her until the next morning and by then it's too late.

She's Alone. Maddie waits for information. When none comes, she realizes that she can only rely on herself. Maddie finds a companion in the neighbor's dog. Together they set about surviving. 

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down. Alone is a novel in verse, which suits the story. Maddie is a very strong character - brave , resourceful, determined. I don't know how she managed, but she did. She faces so many challenges; I admired her. I adored George, the dog.*  I wanted a tiny bit of more information at the end. An impressive debut novel.

* George lives and thrives

There is a nasty death of a kitten. All the animals in the town are abandoned. 

Cover Thoughts: Love it

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: A wonderful survival story for your library. Highly recommended for both school and public libraries.

Other stories to read:

Feminist Review: Blood Moon

 

Frankie and a boy she's crushing on have a sexual moment. It becomes a little bit embarrassing. Until EVERYONE knows about it. Now Frankie's fighting with her best friend, hiding the truth from her parents, and going down a shame spiral.

It's her life. And it's blowing up. After a meme going viral, she has no one to talk to. She's certainly not going to confide in her parents. She can't believe this is happening to her. How can so much hate come from getting her period at the wrong time?

My Thoughts: This book was hard to read - it made me angry and sad. I felt terrible for Frankie - I wanted to wrap her up in a hug. I hated that her first sexual encounter went so horrible wrong after the fact. I hated that she couldn't trust her best friend. I hated the bullying that went on - both in her school and online. But that doesn't mean this wasn't a great read. I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the novel in verse writing. I liked the astronomy aspect to the book. I loved the tree house. The ending was great.

Cover Thoughts: Provoking

Source: My library

Library Recommendation: Great for discussion about periods, being ashamed of your body, and bullying. This would make a great book club book.

Classic Review: Make Lemonade

LaVaughn's determined to go to college; she'll be the first person in her family to attend. She'll need money to get there - so she finds a babysitting job. 

Answering an ad, she meets seventeen year old Jolly with two children. They don't have much, but the kids take to LaVaughn immediately. 

She tries to help Jolly improve her life, but Jolly isn't interested in taking advice from a 14 year old who's a little judgmental about her choices. Still Jolly doesn't have that many options. Between the two of them, they learn life lessons both outside and inside the classroom.

My Thoughts: I've been meaning to read this book for years. When I realized I needed to order an updated cover for my Teen Collection at the library, it was time. This is the start of a trilogy and a novel in verse before it was popular.

It's sad and yet hopeful. My heart ached for LaVaughn, Jolly, and the two kids. Those kids were a handful, but they seemed cute. I'm curious to see what happens next.

Cover Thoughts: This one is so much better.
Source: My Library
Release Date: 1993 

Review: The Poet X

The Poet X is 

strong

determined

curious

and talented.

She doesn't take crap 

and she stands up for herself.

But she questions

her feelings

her mother

religion

and most importantly herself.

But she doesn't let

anyone 

tell her 

how to think

or

how to feel.

She's strong

determined

curious

and talented.

Swoon Reads: Waiting

So I did a thing:

The very first piece of writing that I finished is now on Swoon Reads and people can read it.

It's not the latest project I've worked on, but I wanted to challenge myself this year. And so I did it.

There's a lot of me in this book.

There's a lot of college life in this book.

Yes, it's set where I went to college but no it's not autobiographical.

It's a novel in verse.

Here's the description:

Emily has spent her entire life waiting for something to happen. Now that she's off to college, she expects her life to completely change. Only nothing does.

Luckily, her new roommate is spunky and outgoing, the kind of person who makes things happen. Emily and Lauren become fast friends.

Emily literally runs into a boy on her first moments on campus. Later she meets him again during orientation. They start dating.

Could this be what she's waiting for?

Emily struggles to balance class, work, romance and friendship during that tumultuous first year of independence. Will Emily stop waiting and find happiness on her own terms?

Tween Tuesday Review: Booked

More than anything, Nick loves soccer. But when his parents decide to get a divorce and his mom moves out - nothing seems right anymore. 

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book.
I loved Mr. Mac - the librarian who was a former rapper
I loved April and her bookish ways
I loved the moments between Nick and his mother
I thought Nick being made to read his father's word dictionary was entertaining and interesting. 
I liked the blackout poetry and exploring expression. 

Cover Thoughts: Perfect
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for tween collections in all libraries.

And it's just perfect for this year's summer reading program theme.

Mini Review: Brown Girl Dreaming

I've been meaning to read this book for ages and I'm so glad I sat down to read it.

I loved the novel in verse format - I'm a huge fan of these types of books

I loved the imagery - the way I could picture everything perfectly in my mind. I wanted to to be summer turning into fall. I wanted to be with Jacqueline when she went to the library and read books that she loved. I wanted to be with her when she she started writing books and became inspired.

I loved how she wrote about the good and the bad and the things she didn't quite understand.

I loved the moments with her grandparents: sitting on the porch, playing in the yard, and soaking up summer nights.

It's a great read for children of all ages!

Final Thought: It's nice surprise that this beautiful book cleaned up during awards season. If you haven't already - go read it NOW.

Cover Thoughts: Love it! Especially the book opened to magical possibilities
Source: ARC sent for review

Tween Tuesday Review: Gone Fishing

Sam can't wait to go fishing with his Dad - just the two of them.  But when his sister joins them, he thinks the day is ruined. After she gathers all her stuff and they finally arrive at the lake, Sam believes she is scaring the fish away. Will his perfect fishing day be ruined?

My Thoughts: A fun book with a cute story that explores various forms of poetry. I love the relationship between the siblings and that the book took place during the day. I like the poetry explanation at the end of the book; it's a helpful learning tool for poetry types.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: ARC sent for review